Comment from Understand the Times:

The Roman Catholic Church is now upgrading from the dark confessional booths of the past to modern cell phone confessions for the 21st century with brand new applications that they can download off the Internet. This will make confession a lot easier and will not only facilitate online confessions but also online banking.

The idea is fantastic for those who are running short of time to drop by for confession at the end of the week. Also, the priest can work a percentage into his own bank for services rendered that may be income tax free.

However, there are some disadvantages. When you lose your cell phone you may also lose your salvation unless you show up for mass at least at Christmas and Easter. Or you could take a trip to Rome every Roman Catholic Jubilee and go through the Holy Door at St. Peter's to get saved for the next 25 years. If you don't like this, then don't complain to UTT. Try another church or read the Bible and see that such human "hooha" is not present in these man made tactics.

February 8 - US bishop sanctions cell phone in confession

Article: Roman Catholic Church And The Last Days

A Catholic bishop in the United States has become the first Church authority to approve mobile phones to aid confession.

In what is termed as an attempt to reconcile the 21st century with the Catholic faith, Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne in Indiana in early February sanctioned an iPhone app that aims to help Catholics through confession.

�Our desire is to invite Catholics to engage in their faith through digital technology,� said Patrick Leinen of the Indiana-based Little iApps.

It creates a customized and password-protected �examination of conscience� based on a person�s age, sex and vocation. It also notes the time since the last confession and provides seven acts of contrition for the penitent to choose.

The app is not designed to replace going to confession but to help Catholics through the act. Catholics still must go to a priest for absolution.

�Our goal with this project is to offer a digital application that is truly �new media at the service of the word,� Leinen explained.